Starlite Campbell Band
Starlite Campbell Band is a British blues group based between the Isle of Man and Germany. Formed in 2016, the band is led by married couple Suzy Starlite and Simon Campbell. Their debut album, Blueberry Pie was nominated for a European Blues Award in November 2017 and blends British blues, blues and Americana. History The duo had been recording, playing and touring independently in bands for many years until they met in 2012, when Starlite asked Campbell, who was British Blues Awards Nominee, to join her band as the guitar player. The love extended past each other's playing and the duo were wed in 2014 after a whirlwind romance, forming their new joint band, Starlite Campbell, in January 2016. As prolific singer-songwriters, they started writing together immediately and built up a large collection of songs in a variety of styles, from Americana, folk music, electronic music, progressive rock to British blues. The art of the song is everything and they fly in the face of disposable music – writing, recording and producing their work and then releasing on their independent label Supertone Records. Their first recorded collaboration was on Campbell's second solo album, The Knife where they jointly wrote and performed Do You Want Me with Campbell on acoustic guitar, Theremin and vocals and Starlite on Mellotron and vocals. Blueberry Pie The couple wrote the material for their debut album Blueberry Pie over two weeks in April 2016 and started recording in July at the Supertone Records Studio3 in Valencia, Spain with the album mixed and mastered in October 2016. It was Produced and Engineered by Campbell, co-produced by Starlite and mastered by Jon Astley4 who is known for his work with the Who and other rock luminaries. In addition to the band and session musicians Steve Gibson and Jonny Henderson, Valencian native Danny Boy Sanchez was co opted to play harmonica on track No. 5, "Say What You Want". The album artwork is based on a picture taken by Starlite in the late 70's of her Grandmother Betty Higgs.5 Blueberry Pie was released on 1 February 20174 and has been extensively reviewed6 by publications in the UK, Europe, USA and Australia Blues Matters!, R2 (Rock'n'Reel), Classic Rock7 The band made a festive release It Started Raining on 24 December 2017. The song was recorded live at Supertone Records studio in Valencia, Spain as part of the 'Blueberry Pie' sessions with a single guitar overdub. The cover image was taken by Isle of Man based photographer Phil Kneen and features an old caravan featured in the song's lyric. On 12 November 2018 the band simultaneously released their new single Heart of Stone along with a limited edition, gatefold, 180g double phonograph record (vinyl) of their album Blueberry Pie. The lacquers were cut by Miles Showell4 at Abbey Road Studios and the pressing supported by the Isle of Man Arts Council.8 Recorded as part of the original Blueberry Pie sessions, the track has a stinging, acidic lyric which complements the hypnotic rolling groove of the track. It appears exclusively in physical form on side four of the record. The cover image was taken by Isle of Man based photographer Phil Kneen featuring actor Rob Smith. The Language of Curiosity In May 2019 Starlite and Campbell relocated their Supertone Records studio into the countryside near Hannover, Germany where they will record their second album, The Language of Curiosity with a planned release in the spring of 2020. Live Performances During 2017 and 2018, the band performed extensively throughout Spain and the Isle of Man; in July 2018 band played Linton Festival to great reviews. Accompanied by drummer Steve Gibson, the band traveled to Australia to headline131415 the blues marquee at Wangaratta Festival of Jazz on Saturday 3 November 2018 to over 3000 people with great reviews and extensive publicity.16 Accompanying the band on this show was Australian keyboard player Clayton Doley. The Starlite Campbell Band embarked on their debut tour of the United Kingdom in December 2018 with performances in Coulsdon, Pershore, Edinburgh, Eaglescliffe, Saltburn-by-the-Sea and The Met (arts centre) in Campbell's hometown of Bury, Greater Manchester to great reviews17. 2019/2020 sees them touring Europe, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom which has included a show at one of London's longest running and most respected live music venues, The Half Moon, Putney, the Forum, Darlington and the Greystones, Sheffield where they performed tracks from their new album The Language of Curiosity. Members * Suzy Starlite: Lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, piano, mellotron, stylophone, mandolin, percussion, Moog Taurus bass pedals and recorder (2016–present) * Simon Campbell: Lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, resonator guitar, acoustic guitar, theremin, Sequential Tempest drum machine, percussion and piano (2016–present) Session Musicians The band use a variety of fine musicians both live and in the studio depending upon suitability for the project, availability and geographical location. * Josh Phillips (musician): Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano (2019–present) * Govert Van Der Kolm: Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano (2019–present) * Jonny Henderson: Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano (2016–present) * Clayton Doley: Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano (2018–present) * Christian Madden: Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano (2016–present) * Steve Gibson: Drums (2016–present) Equipment Both Starlite and Campbell are fastidious users of vintage equipment, specifically valve amplifiers for guitar and bass and use multiple brands including vintage Hiwatt,18 Gartone, Germino, Vox, Matamp, Supertone, Ampeg and Van Weelden with speakers by Electro-Voice, Celestion and Bergantino Audio Systems. Starlite favours instruments by Mike Lull, Gretsch and Fylde Guitars some fitted with the Hipshot drop-D tuners. She was featured with a two-page article19 in Bass Guitar talking her equipment and playing style. Campbell's instruments include Gibson, Moog synthesizer, Mosrite, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Collings Guitars, National Reso-Phonic Guitars, Guild Guitar Company, Fylde Guitars Touchstone Walnut Mandolin plus signature models by luthier Jim Drake in Colorado and Gordon Whittam (Gordy) in Manchester, UK with pickups by Lollar, Sheptone, Lindy Fralin and House of Tone. He is known for his expertise and extensive use of the Maestro Echoplex EP2 tape echo. They use bass / guitar strings principally by Curt Mangan, Thomastik-Infeld and Pyramid with Effects unit's by Lehle, DWJ Pedals, Supertone, Ernie Ball, Hudson Electronics, TC Electronic, Eventide, Lexicon, Chase Tone, Headway, Sonic Research, LovePedal, Skrydstrup R&D, Textone, Digitech, Voodoo Labs, GigRig, Origin Effects, CMAT Mods, Headway Music Audio, Gamechanger Audio, Strymon, B. K. Butler and Fulltone. Side Projects The Supertone Show Starlite and Campbell broadcast the Supertone Show, a weekly, music-inspired chat show about songs and the people who make them. It features an eclectic mix of music from their vinyl collections, plus special shows focussing on inspirational people who have influenced and changed the sound of modern music. The show is syndicated to 14 internet and FM stations based in the Netherlands, USA, Canada,20 and the UK.21 Electrolite In May 2014 the couple, with Mark Cleator, recorded a synth pop / electronic music, extended play record under the name Electrolite.22 Writing took place on the Isle of Man and later in Duras, Lot-et-Garonne, France and Valencia, Spain. The EP was released electronically and on 180g vinyl and features Starlite on vocals, Campbell on drum & bass synthesiser programming, MOOG E1 guitar, electric guitar, Theremin, backing vocals with Mark Cleator on an array of analog synthesizers by Moog, ARP, Dave Smith plus an original Mellotron. It was recorded at the Chairworks Studio in Castleford with engineer James Mottershead, produced by Campbell and mastered by Kevin Grainger at Wired Masters, London and in 2017 the record was licensed to Ninthwave Records. The sleeve was designed by Barry Kinder and Daren Newman. Discography Studio albums Singles Awards and nominations